George c



(No Model.) G. C. FOOSE.

FIRE ES'GAPB.

No. 459,493. 'Patented sept. 15,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. FOOSE, OF WARSAV, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO S. EMERSON SALISBURY AND S. PLACE.

VILLIAM LAMBERSON, BOTH OF SAME FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,493, dated September 15, 1891,

y Application filed June 16, 1890. Serial No. 355,'573. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE C. FoosE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warsaw,

in the county of vWyoming and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do de clare the following to be a f ull,`clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a permanent iireescape formed by the corner wall or walls of the building and by an inside wall or walls strongly connected thereto, making a vertical shaft from roof to bottom, having the only entrance from a roof-house and down a fireproof stairway to street exits by doors and covered passages. 'It also relates to the means whereby a stream of water will fall from the top of shaft down the walls to keep them cool; and the invention asvconstructed will be understood by reference to the following specification and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation in section showing the escape in connection with a large building; Fig. 2, a sectional plan through the building', showing its -position and shape when the shaft is square; Fig. 3, a detail of water-sprinkler for walls.

A A represent the two outside corner walls of a building, and B B the inside ones, built solid to the top, having no story entrances. (See Fig. l.) If the corners of the building are rounded, then the inside walls B will be constructed to correspond, making the shaft C either round or oval, in any case taking but little room and that from the least valuable part. Having only to build an inside wall reduces'greatly the expense of the escape, which is in case of re to be only entered from the roof-house E, which will have a railing around it and is lighted by heavy glass windows. The shaft is provided with a stairway, zigzag or spiral, furnished with proper railing and built of fire-proof material, and is lighted by thick glass windows and electric lights or gas. It leads to the exits either by doors directly into the street or by a tunnel G, leading to an alley or side street, in case egress ,is cut off by the front door. This passage G will be strongly built to support debris that may fall on it and be of fire-proof material. More 'than one such may be constructedfrom each shaft, if necessary. There are no openings into the shaft (except at top and bottom) from the different stories, such openings being only an element of danger from smoke and fire entering therein. Therefore, if a. tire begins at the upper part of the building, those below it can readily escape by the ordinaryvstairs. Those who maybe cut off from descending have only to mount to the roof and skylight L, enter the house E, and come down the shaft C to the street. It is, however, specially intended in cases where fire starts in the lower stories and runs up the elevators and smoke illing the halls and stairways, and where the only escape is by the roof and down by shaft, which can be done long before the building has become so damaged as to render escape A impossible. Thick glass lights a a and electric lamps Z9 l) will give sufficient light to escape by.

H is a vertical water-pipe inside the shaft, either through the center or at the side, and having an extended square or vround portion S, perforated and arranged around the walls, so that water when turned on will keep the walls cool long enough for the escape of all parties using the shaft. This water-pipe will be connected with the usual water-supply or to an engine by suitable couplings. Fusible cocks can be used for turning on the water or by hand devices. By expanding the upper portion of the water-pipe and placing the entrance at the top of the shaft persons can enter the shaft without being wet, which could not be done if the entrances were placed below the top of the pipe, as then the water flowing down the walls would drench them on coming into the shaft.

This escape is speciallydesigned for factories, prisons, hotels, theaters, or any large buildings, to facilitate the escape of occupants who cannot get down the usual stairways. It will be durable, permanent, and can always be made an architectural ornament to the corners of a building, all of which may be fire-escapes. When not used as' an escape, firemen may ascend to the roof by it to throw water as long as it is safe to do so by means of the stand-pipe H and suitable hose-couplings connected therewith or a pipe walled vertical shaft extending from the opening in the roof which does not communicate with the compartments down to the bottoni, a roof-house over the top of tlie shaft, a fire-proof stairway Within the shaft, and a water-pipe Within the shaft having an eX- tended perforated portion at the top for sprinkling the interior of the walls and keeping them cool, substantially as described.

2. In a building, the combination, with a hollow fire-escape leading from its top to the bottom, of a stand-pipe the upper portion of which is provided with a perforated pipe upon the interior of the escape and conforming in shape thereto, and means for admitting Water to the pipes for sprinkling the interior of the walls and keeping them cool, substantially as described.

In testimony7 whereof affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

GEORGE C. FOOSE.

Witnesses:

J. R. BRAKE, E. LEssLnR. 

